


Songbird

by LizAnn_5869



Series: Prompts and Requests [98]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Classic Tropes, Doctor X Rose Fic Event, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Romance, Mild Angst, Rose sings, Songfic, The Doctor loves it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:40:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26308702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LizAnn_5869/pseuds/LizAnn_5869
Summary: The Doctor stumbles upon Rose singing, but she’s not comfortable with him as an audience.  When he finds out why he’s determined to make her feel better about herself... which he finds he has to do rather quickly when she has to sing them out of jeopardy on an alien planet.
Relationships: Ninth Doctor/Rose Tyler
Series: Prompts and Requests [98]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/428275
Comments: 22
Kudos: 66
Collections: Doctor Who Classic Tropes Event





	Songbird

**Author's Note:**

> My prompt for the Doctor x Rose Forever trope event was fluff, a trope that is definitely in my wheelhouse. The song Rose sings is Songbird, written by Christine McVie and originally performed by Fleetwood Mac. Her second song is The Tide Is High, originally performed by Blondie, (and covered by Billie Piper!), written by  
> John Holt.  
> The information about Jimmy’s band name comes from RTD himself, when he filled out a bit of Jimmy and Rose’s past in a Doctor Who annual.

The Doctor was used to a great many sounds from his TARDIS. The ever-present hum, the bubbling noise that resembled laughter, the squeaks and groans, the warning gong of the cloister bell. 

He heard a new sound, and it definitely wasn’t coming from his TARDIS. Wandering towards the echoing noise, he found himself surprised to realize that it was Rose, in the galley.

And she was singing.

_ For you, there'll be no more crying _

_ For you, the sun will be shining _

_ And I feel that when I'm with you _

_ It's alright, I know it's right… _

He recognized the song. He’d spent a day with Fleetwood Mac in London, years before, in his eighth incarnation.  _ Stevie Nicks kinda fancied me. Good people, too much drama for my taste, though… _

Then it occurred to him that he’d never heard Rose singing before. And it further gobsmacked him to realize that she was  _ good _ . 

_ To you, I'll give the world _

_ To you, I'll never be cold _

_ 'Cause I feel that when I'm with you _

_ It's alright, I know it's right _

Not stopping to wonder if she actually wanted an audience, he stepped into the galley and leaned against the door frame. 

Rose was a picture. She didn’t look the part of a posh singer, in her raggedy, off the shoulder sweatshirt and faded jeans, but she sounded like an angel. She had on headphones, attached to a small, cheap mp3 player clipped to her waist, so she didn’t notice he was there as she filled the kettle with water.

_ And I wish you all the love in the world _

_ But most of all, I wish it from myself… _

Her voice washed over him like a balm to his injured soul, and it didn’t take a lot of dreaming to imagine that she was singing those words for him. His hearts swelled with pride for her. 

“Bloody hell, next time flippin’ tell me you’re in the room! You’re a ninja!” 

That was definitely not part of the song. Christine McVie had asked for his help with the lyrics, and she’d never said that.

***

Rose had just finished filling the kettle and turned to the stove when she caught a glimpse of the Doctor leaning against the doorway. Her heart jolted in shock, since she’d expected to be alone, and she flushed with shame at the thought of him hearing her sing. She lashed out with rather more venom than she’d intended when she growled at him. His eyes were wide in shock.

The Doctor stammered, “Well…my TARDIS, I can be wherever I want!”

Rose had to concede that he had a point. She yanked off her earphones angrily. “Next time don’t bloody scare me!”

“Once again, TARDIS. Mine. Why are you all splotchy?”

Rose felt her cheeks get even hotter. It was even more mortifying for him to point out her obvious embarrassment. “M’not.”

The Doctor smirked, “No, now you’re more red than splotchy. Are you embarrassed about somethin’? Don’t see why you are.”

“Maybe I was wantin’ some privacy,” she grumbled, finally remembering to turn the heat on the kettle. 

“Wait, was it the singin’?”

Rose wondered if her face could actually explode from the additional embarrassed heat radiating from her cheeks. 

“You’re not that bad,” the Doctor added. “I mean, I met Christine McVie, and you’re…”

Rose sighed., her shoulders sagging. “Ain’t Christine McVie. Yeah, I know my voice is shit. That’s why I don’t sing around people.”

***

The Doctor gaped. In his head, he said,  _ I love your voice. I wanna hear it singin’ to me everyday… _ Out loud, he stammered, “Your voice is… is… untrained, but…” He could hear himself in a soundtrack in his mind, telling Rose she was  _ beautiful for a human.  _ He was the actual physical example of  _ damning with faint praise.  _

“Okay, fine, forget it,” she mumbled. “Want tea?”

“Erm.. yeah.” He half-expected her to tell him to get it himself, but she opened the cabinet above the sink and extracted his plain black mug and her rose-patterned teacup. “Earl Gray.”

“It’s over there,” she nodded towards another cabinet. 

_ Ah.  _ He silently passed behind her to get the tea bag out of the box. He grabbed an English breakfast for her, then located a box of biscuits. He arranged them on a plate, watching out of the corners of his eye as Rose stared at the stove. Her cheeks weren’t as red, but her shoulders were still slumped. The silence was deafening until the kettle whistled. 

“Got some biscuits. Everythin’s better with biscuits. When there’s somethin’ wrong, that is.”

“Who says anythin’s wrong?” Rose argued. More silence, as he prepared his tea and she plopped the tea bag into her cup.

“Your voice isn’t shit,” the Doctor mumbled. “S’good.”

***

Rose paused her tea making to glance at him. She shrugged. 

“No, really. You have a nice voice,” the Doctor said, and his earnest expression made her eyes sting, but she swallowed around the lump in her throat. She covered her emotional turmoil with bitter laughter instead.

“No, it’s not, but thanks for tryin’.” She snatched a biscuit from the plate, hoping he’d drop the subject. Knowing his propensity for avoiding anything slightly domestic, or emotional, for that matter, she imagined he would.

“Did somebody tell you that about your voice? Just… never heard you talk about yourself like that.”

_ Blimey, he’s not shutting up about it.  _ “Yes,” she said abruptly, hoping that would be enough.

“Well, then, they don’t know what good is,” the Doctor told her. 

She gazed at him. If she’d seen the slightest hint of laughter in his eyes or a smirk on his lips she wouldn’t have elaborated. “He thought he did, the arrogant wanker,” she murmured as she took a sip of tea.

“Mickey the Idiot?” 

_ That _ nearly made her spit out her tea. She coughed a bit as she laughed. “No… I  _ do _ know people other than Mickey. An’ Mickey’s not an idiot.” The Doctor shrugged, letting her know in his opinion, her opinion was wrong, but she really didn’t want to discuss that. Or anything else, really. But she still found herself going on. “Was a bloke named Jimmy. I was… livin’ with him before I dated Mickey.”

***

_ Jimmy… _ The Doctor mused, remembering something Jackie had told him (in a very threatening tone), after two glasses of wine, when Rose was safely out of earshot. “He’s that pretty boy who left you, right?”

“How’d you hear about…” Rose rolled her eyes, not needing an answer. “Mum, right?”

“Just heard some… gossip, me.”

“Yeah, it was Mum. How much did she tell ya? Did she tell ya he blinded me with his blonde hair and green eyes and his guitar skills?”

“That pretty much covered it, yeah.”

“And that it was the dumbest thing I’ve ever done in my life?”

_ No, according to your mother, that happened when you ran off with me… _ . “She was voicin’ her concern.”

Rose rolled her eyes again. “I’m sure she did. Hope she didn’t slap ya again.”

“Not that time, no.”

“Good. Anyway...he had a band, thought he was the next best thing to Oasis.”

The Doctor smirked, “Settin’ the bar low, he was.”

She couldn’t help it, she burst out laughing, finally relaxing for the first time since the Doctor had surprised her. “The band was called No Hot Ashes.”

“Rubbish band name.”

“He read it off a sign in a pub and thought it was edgy. Anyways… There were four blokes in the band, and two of ‘em were pretty cool. Kyle and Derrick… the drummer and bassist. Brian was the keyboard player but he was usually passed out drunk before and after gigs. He usually pulled it together enough to play on the rare occasions they managed to book somethin’. None of ‘em were that great but they managed to be okay together. O’course, Jimmy thought he was God’s gift to rock music…” 

The Doctor drank his tea and ate his biscuits, listening intently. For a man who eschewed domestics, he was finding himself in a fairly domestic situation. He couldn’t even lie to himself that his feelings for Rose were definitely the reason why. She had a beautiful heart to go along with her beautiful face and voice and somewhere along the line, someone had hurt her terribly. He needed to know how it had happened, and who did it, because this was his Rose, and no one got away with hurting her.

***

Rose shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Was she really going to tell this story? It was such an embarrassment.  _ Why does he need to know... _

Another thought struck her.  _ Even though I know he’s leavin’ a lot out… he confided in me when we first met. He told me about his greatest loss and that’s nothin’ compared to this. If he can tell me that… _

She realized she’d trailed off and that they were gazing at each other. She felt her cheeks heat up again. “Erm… where was I?”

“God’s gift to rock music,” he prompted.

“Yeah… Erm… We had this rubbish little one room flat. It was tiny but they always ended up rehearsin’ there. Wasn’t really rehearsin’, I supposed. More like screwin’ around and arguin’, but the guys were always there. Brian was passed out on our bed, Jimmy was out gettin’ curry, and Derrick and Kyle were hangin’ out with me. Somehow we got to talkin’ about me learnin’ a little guitar. Normally Jimmy wouldn’t let anybody touch his precious guitar, but Derrick talked me into singin while he played.” Rose snorted laughter. “The guitar even had a name. Lucille.”

The Doctor interrupted, his eyes narrowed. “Lucille was the name of BB King’s guitar. How dare that arrogant wanker name his guitar after King’s! That’s practically sacrilegious!”

Rose chuckled, “Toldja… Derrick ended up playin’ Jimmy's guitar and I sang. Of all of ‘em, Derrick had the best voice, and he was singin’ harmony with me… until Jimmy came in.” Rose’s voice trailed off again.

The Doctor’s stomach dropped, his mind racing, filling in the story before she could even tell it.  _ If Jimmy… when I get through with him.. _ . “Did he lay a hand on you?”

***

Rose was taken aback by the fury in the Doctor’s eyes, so similar to what she’d seen when he’d stood before her and a Dalek, wielding a huge gun. “No… no. He was an arse, but he never did that.”

The tension in the Doctor’s shoulders relaxed, but his eyes were still boring into her, still furious. “Then what happened?”

“Jimmy snatched the guitar away from Derrick and kicked the boys out. Even Brian, an’ I don’t even think he knew what was goin’ on,” Rose laughed ruefully. “Told him we weren’t doin’ anythin’ wrong. He said my voice was shit and I shouldn’t bother.”

The Doctor’s jaw was taut, his entire body resembling a spring begging to be set free. “Good,” the Doctor bit out. “but somethin’ happened. I saw you nearly jump outta your skin when you noticed me listenin’.”

“Well, you surprised me! Wasn’t expectin’ you there watchin’! Don’t like audiences.”

She felt the tears stinging again, but she’d be damned if she was going to cry about Jimmy in front of the Doctor. She’d wasted enough time on her ex. 

“Wasn’t the only time he insulted your voice, was it? Bet he said it to you a lot. Otherwise why believe an arrogant wanker?”

The tears that had been threatening chose that moment to break free and trail down her cheeks.  _ Dammit,  _ she thought, angry that she’d let Jimmy Stone get under her skin again.

But he was right. He placed his hand on hers on the table, and she spoke. “No, it wasn’t. I would start singin’ along with the radio… he’d tell me to shut up because I was ruinin’ the music. After a while, I just stopped singin’.”

The Doctor’s eyes narrowed. “Jimmy wasn’t just an arrogant wanker, he was a jealous, arrogant wanker,” he said gravely.

“Jealous of Derrick n’ me? The only person Derrick fancied was Kyle,” Rose snorted.

“No, he was jealous of you,” the Doctor proclaimed. 

Rose burst out laughing. “Pull the other one.”

“M’serious, Rose.”

Her laughter faded as his intense blue eyes locked on hers. She shook her head, suddenly becoming very interested in the pattern on her mug. “Can we just drop it, Doctor? Where are we going next? We haven’t been anywhere relaxin’ for a while, not since Woman Wept. Loved it, but was kinda hopin’ for someplace warm, without trouble, this time.”

The Doctor raised his eyebrow at her sudden change of subject.  _ Well, okay, then. Guess that’s that.  _ “Was thinkin’ about this planet… Conchellia. Beaches, warm breezes, cocktails in coconuts… ‘capt they’re not really coconuts, but the point still stands. And relatively trouble-free.”

“Oh, relatively,” she parroted, smiling.

“Well, if you weren’t so jeopardy-friendly,” he joked, then immediately regretted it. How was that any better than what Jimmy the knob had said to her?

She chuckled, and he relaxed, grateful that she seemed to have realized he was joking. “The beach planet sounds lovely,” she murmured.

He cleared his throat, suddenly feeling rather awkward. “I can upgrade that music player if you want. Storage on that one’s kinda rubbish. Give you unlimited downloads...”

Rose smirked. “Mum gave me this for Christmas. She had to buy it used but it’s not rubbish.”

“Didn’t say it was. But if you don’t want infinite storage for music from this planet  _ and _ across the universe… plus enhanced video capabilities so you could watch  _ By the Light of the Asteroid _ when we’re on the go… suit yourself.”

Rose considered it briefly. “Well, if you’re gonna do that…”. She unclipped the player from her waistband and placed it on the table as she headed out of the galley to find her bikini.

“And Rose?”

She stopped and turned back to look at him.

“Sing however much you wanna.” 

The Doctor smiled at her then ducked his head down to inspect her music player. He was already extracting his sonic from his jacket, so he missed her grin as she stepped out of the room. 

***

They didn’t make it to the beach. 

Due to a double-blinded- cross-patched time circuit (or some such nonsense), they found themselves on a planet of brightly colored three and four eyed biped creatures. They had landed in a small alien city with a busy entertainment district, where trouble found them in a tiny pub. 

“I have to  _ what?!”  _ Rose growled, trying not to direct her furor at the Doctor, but rather at the vermillion-skinned three eyed aliens who had him handcuffed to the pipes behind their table in the bar. She crossed her arms, both to show her displeasure and to keep herself warm, as the thin sarong she wore over her bathing wasn’t adequate to keep her warm in the chilly room.

In their high, cicada-like tones, the tallest of the three confirmed her worst fear, “Yes, to secure the release of the Time Lord, you will have to vocalize melodically in front of the Khfarflatz Flurrtgarvenitz assembled here this moon phase.”

_ It’s not his fault, it really isn’t,  _ she tried to tell herself, then she remembered how he’d smirked and inadvertently insulted the female-presenting Khfarflatz and reassessed her opinion.  _ It is completely his bloody fault.  _ Rose shot a glare in the Doctor’s direction. His eyes widened, making him appear infuriatingly innocent.

“I don’t sing in front of people,” Rose argued, wincing at how whiny she sounded.

“Khfarflatz do not identify as people. We name ourselves, collectively,  _ Flurrtgarvenitz _ . So you should have no issue with vocalizing before us.”

Rose’s brow furrowed.

“Well, he’s gotcha there, Rose,” the Doctor mumbled, trying to work the pipe loose.

“You can shut right up,” she warned the Doctor.

“What did I do!?” His voice raised in pitch.

Ignoring the Time Lord, Rose plastered on her most winning smile and said, charmingly, “Hi… Erm… I’m sure the Doctor regrets what he said, and is perfectly willing to to apologize… make a charitable donation…”

“Wouldn’t go that far. No cash, me.”

“You got a credit stick, genius,” Rose shot back.

The male Khfarflatz shook his head regretfully. “I am afraid it is beyond a simple monetary payment. The cost of his freedom is a melody. We have a melodic machine, over there, with amplification and...how do you say, lyrics?... to the melody of your choice. You have five klicks to choose your vocalizing...song. If it is not performed to our approval, then he will be transferred to the incarceration chamber.”

Rose turned to gaze where he was pointing. “It’s a karaoke machine. I have to sing alien karaoke to keep your arse out of prison because you couldn’t keep your mouth shut. Brilliant!”

“I will leave you to your choosing. Come, Flurrtgarvenitz.” The others nodded and walked away, leaving the Doctor and Rose temporarily alone.

“Where’s your sonic?” Rose demanded, thrusting her hand into his jacket pocket. To her amazement her arm went in up to her elbow. 

“Bigger on the…”

“Inside, yeah, I figured. Where is it?”

“Try the inside pocket, but… but the cuffs are made of Cordiellium, so…”

“What does that even mean?” She extricated her arm and dove into the inside pocket. Relieved, she pulled the sonic out immediately.

“Sonic doesn’t do wood,” he mumbled.

She spat, “It’s metal!”

“It’s organic… and possibly has a wood core. Not all Cordiellium does. There’s a twenty percent chance that it won’t..” He shrugged the best he could. “I think you’re singin’, Rose.”

“I’ll take that chance!” Rose spoke over him, aiming at the place where the handcuffs were attached to the pipe. The metal shrieked and sparked, and the handcuffs stayed firmly, stubbornly in place.

“Oi, there! Don’t singe off me eyebrows!” the Doctor protested, unable to duck.

“Oh, bloody hell.” Her shoulders slumped, then she began to pace in front of his chair. “I can’t. I can’t do it. My voice is shit. I have to but… M’terrified, Doctor. I’m  _ not  _ good enough to get you free. M’not!”

***

The Doctor observed Rose as she paced back and forth, her arms crossed, her hands rubbing upper arms. “Rose.” No reply, other than a terse shake of her bowed head. “Rose,” he said again, louder. His commanding tone caused her to stop and look at him. “You can do this, Rose Tyler. Stop puttin’ yourself down.”

“My voice is…”

The Doctor shook his head vehemently. “Don’t say it again, ‘cos it’s  _ not true. _ ” Rose opened her mouth to disagree but he forged on. “What did you think of your voice before Jimmy?”

“Wasn’t the best, but it wasn’t… awful or anythin’. I did a solo in the choir before I got kicked out.”

“A solo, see, somebody saw your talent… how’d you get kicked out?”

Rose’s lips quirked into a small smile. “That’s a story for another day.” 

He answered her smile with his own, then sobered up. Time was of the essence. There tended to be duels fought for sport in Khfarflatz incarceration chambers, but he didn’t want Rose to know that yet. “Okay. So, what did your mum think? She’d be a pretty good judge.”

He immediately regretted saying the last when she responded, “I’ll make sure she knows you think that.” She rolled her eyes and continued, “She’s my mum, of course she’s gonna say I’m good.”

The Doctor suppressed a groan. He knew Rose would do whatever she had to do to help him. He just had to get her past this roadblock, and they were running out of time. “Has anyone else, other than Jimmy bloody Stone  _ ever _ said that to you?” Rose blinked. “I’ll take that as a  _ no. _ Here’s why he was such a wanker to you on  _ that  _ particular day. He heard you singin’ and he knew you were better than him. I don’t care if he wanted to believe he was God’s gift to rock music. Deep down he knew you were better. His opinion is what’s shit. Not your voice, never. Don’t let him in, Rose.”

She stopped in front of him, her eyes downcast. He wished he could take her hand. “I…I don’t know why I still let him in my head.”

“It’s hard gettin’ somethin’ that ingrained outta your head. Rose Tyler, I don’t apologize for much of anythin’. But m’sorry I got you into this mess. Just like every other mess I get ya into.”

“You don’t have to apologize for that. I wanna be here with you. And of course m’gonna sing. There’s no way I’m gonna try to help you. But if they don’t like it…”

The Khfarflatz called from across the bar area, “I am hoping you have selected a melody.”

“They’ll like it. There’s no way they won’t. You can do this. You have a gorgeous voice, Rose Tyler. You sound like an angel. And I’m not just sayin’ that ‘cos I don’t wanna be locked up.”

Rose burst out laughing. “Now you’re gonna make my head swell. You’re overdoin’ it, Doctor.”

The Doctor grinned at her. Oh, he wanted to take her hand, to hug her... _ and blimey, he wanted to kiss away all her doubts.  _ Wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it, Rose.” 

***

Rose’s heart jolted in surprise. His smile had faded, but his expression reminded her of another moment in their short time together:  _ I could save the world but I could lose you _ . He meant it…  _ and maybe, hopefully, he meant more than that. Maybe it’s his way of sayin’... _ Rose cut that thought off. She had to focus. “I guess I’d better be choosin’ somethin’.” She took a step towards the karaoke machine, then she swiveled back as yet another obstacle occurred to her. “Doctor, m’not gonna know any of these songs. The TARDIS is translatin’ their spoken words in my head, but I wouldn’t know anything they’d have on this planet…I’m gonna have to go with something a’cappella. Oh, blimey…”

The Doctor looked away, distantly, with no answer for her. He looked as if he was concentrating on something, but she knew she didn’t have time to inquire. She ran to the machine. 

“Yes!” the Doctor crowed. “It’s solar cycle Ergola apple minor slash delta major!”

“I… don’t know what the bloomin’ hell you’re on about!” And she didn’t have time to figure it out. She knew  _ Songbird  _ all the way through,  _ maybe I could go with…  _ Glancing at the karaoke machine, she was shocked by the songs listed there. At first she didn’t realize she was reading English.  _ What? _ “Bonnie Tyler? Blondie? Kenny Loggins? Prince?  _ Blimey,  _ Madonna? These are all…”

The Doctor interrupted her thoughts by proclaiming, “This is the year that Khfarflatz’s ruler starts a new religion based around 80’s Earth top ten hits!” 

Rose was fairly sure, had his hands been free, the Doctor would have struck himself on the forehead for forgetting that detail. 

“So does that mean I’m singin’ religious music in a karaoke bar? In my swimming costume?!” This day was getting barmier by the minute, and given how things usually went with them, that was saying something.

“Pick!” the Doctor bellowed as the aliens started crowding into the bar area.

The leader calmly spoke, “You only need to vocalize the melody identity into the amplification. The melody will then begin.”

Mentally translating his awkward explanation, Rose made a split-second decision. She spied a song, familiar to her from many childhood sing-alongs with her Mum. “Blondie!  _ The Tide is High!”  _ She grabbed the microphone with shaking hands as music blared through the speakers on either side of her. She took a deep breath, then locked eyes with the Doctor. In her mind, she was singing just for him.

_ The tide is high but I'm holding on _

_ I'm gonna be your number one _

_ I'm not the kind of girl who gives up just like that _

_ Oh, no... _

As she progressed through the song, Rose loosened up. Keeping her eyes squarely focused on the Doctor, she began to move with the beat of the music. The Time Lord was beaming, the same smile he’d given her in a cellar in Cardiff when he’d told her he was so glad he’d met her. After a moment, her hips swayed and she was strutting around the stage, just a bit, getting more comfortable as she continued. She tuned out the cheers from the audience. 

Even as the Doctor grinned, his eyes were dark and intense and she thought she might melt from the heat in them. As the music ended, she barely heard the male Khfarflatz proclaim that the Doctor was free. Two of the aliens liberated him from the handcuffs and he bolted to her. Lifting Rose off her feet, he enveloped her in a bear hug.

“You are fantastic, Rose Tyler. Just fantastic,” he murmured in her ear. She felt his lips brush against her earlobe in a gentle kiss, making her shiver. Hoping he’d continue the kiss, Rose gazed up at him. 

Before he could lean in (She just  _ knew  _ he was about to), the female Khfarflatz, the one that the Doctor had insulted, interrupted. “Please vocalize another melody! We appreciate your aptitude for vocalization!”

Before the Doctor could make the same mistake again because of the alien’s interruption, Rose spoke, “Oh, I don’t know…”

“Could clap this time, me,” the Doctor pointed out.

“Nope. You’re the only person who gets to hear me sing from now on. Got it?” Rose whispered the last directly in his ear.

“Yes, m’am,” he told her with a grin. 

Rose announced to the crowd, “M’sorry, that’s a wrap for me. I’m announcin’ my retirement from the music industry, effective now. Now, Doctor, you owe me a beach vacation. So,  _ run.” _

***

“Well, maybe third time’s the charm?” Rose asked as they exited the TARDIS, wandering down a perfectly normal, if beachless, London street.

“I know I set it for Conchellia, after the sand mite invasion, but before the Jugelliats built up the place and turned it into a tourist trap! I know I did!”

Rose snickered. “I suppose we’re better off here then accidentally landin’ durin’ the sand mites.”

“Well, yeah, guess you got a point there… that would’ve involved more itch cream than I have on hand.”

Rose interrupted, “Oh, bloody hell.”

“What?”

“Well, we’re not in 2005. ‘Cos that…” She pointed at a gray van pointed across the street. “... wasn’t around then. Or at least what’s on it. It’s Jimmy’s band van.” 

The logo for No Hot Ashes, printed in gothic lettering, decorated the door of the van. 

The Doctor closed his eyes for a couple of seconds. “No, it’s 2005. Gotcha back on the right day and everything.”

“Are you sure?”

“Are you questionin’ my accuracy?”

Rose rolled her eyes and ignored his question. “Jimmy did six months in the nick, then went immediately into sellin’ brushes door to door. I remember, Mum said she saw him about the estate in August. “You don’t think…”

“Wanna find out?” the Doctor said with a wink, taking her hand. “You up for some shenanigans?”

“Hmmm… maybe?”

The Doctor grinned, positively sinfully. It was a bit of a turn-on, if Rose wanted to be perfectly honest with herself. And after that look he’d given her in the karaoke bar, maybe it was time to be a little more honest. She still didn’t know where he was going with this, though. Intrigued, she jogged across the busy street with him.

They stopped on the pavement next to the building, a warehouse remodeled into a dodgy pub. Just the kind of place Jimmy always booked for performances. Those were the only kind of establishments that took them. She spied the handwritten, photocopied flyer taped to the wall:

_ No Hot Ashes Reunion Tour  _

_ Tonight only _

_ With the Original Lineup! _

_ 8:00 pm _

Rose burst out laughing. The names of the band members were in tiny print, but Jimmy’s was at least a half size bigger than everyone else’s. “Reunion tour? I had no idea.”

“Yeah. We’re a bit early though…”. The Doctor glanced at another poster advertising karaoke from 6:00 to 8:00.

Rose realized what he was looking at and her brows knitted. “Oh, no…you, you’re trouble, that’s what you are.”

His blue eyes gleamed devilishly. “My middle name.”

Rose’s eyes rolled skyward. “Thought we already went through all this, Doctor Trouble. I’ll sing for you. And only you. He doesn’t get to hear my voice anymore. That’s yours, if you want it.”

The Doctor’s eyes went from devilish to sultry in mere seconds.  _ Definitely a turn-on, _ she thought. 

“I want it,” the Doctor murmured.

Rose tilted her head to the side, grinning, with just a hint of tongue poking out. “Good,” she said.

“But are you still up for some shenanigans? No singin’. Not here anyway. Alone, back at the TARDIS… that’s another story.”

Rose chuckled. “Don’t know what you’re up to… but I’m in.” 

And to her complete surprise, he kissed her. It was quick and chaste, but there was nothing chaste about his expression when he murmured, “I mean it… you pick out a song. For later.”

***

So, it was childish. Conduct unbecoming a Time Lord. 

But hadn’t he once said, in a body that favored ridiculously long scarves,  _ what was the point of growing up if you couldn’t be childish sometimes.  _

And on top of that the Time Lords would have had a field day with him kissing Rose but he didn’t care. She was full of joy and light, and for the first time in a very long time he didn’t feel alone.  _ Dammit, if I’m the only one left, then I get to set the rules.  _

They entered the back of the pub. No Hot Ashes was shrieking their way through a cover of Led Zeppelin’s  _ Immigrant Song. _ At least that’s what he thought it was. It bore a certain resemblance to it, at any rate. It also bore a certain resemblance to the mating call of a Pzerbatnik. It would have been worth sweating it out on the lava beds of Pzerbzerberb, just to see the female carry Jimmy off. But since that wasn’t happening, the Doctor led Rose across the back of the smoky room to a spot just off to left of the stage.

By this point Jimmy was attempting a guitar solo. He was going for an intense expression, but it resembled that of someone passing a kidney stone. Rose had her hand over her mouth, her eyes crinkled with laughter as she shook her head in wonder.

“I think I can improve the acoustics,” the Doctor said into her ear. He winked at her, then adjusted the settings on the sonic and activated it. The usual sound of his screwdriver was drowned out by the cacophony of the band. 

Suddenly the guitar’s shriek changed, and not for the better. It was as if it had turned traitor, the strings melding to themselves and to the fretboard, causing a horrific screech. With a squeal amplified by his microphone, Jimmy yanked his hands away from the guitar. It hung silent round his neck as he shook his fingers. 

The rest of the band went silent. So did the rest of the room, which was most uncommon for a crowded pub.

“Erm… just a little glitch,” he mumbled into the microphone, attempting to strum. The guitar refused to cooperate. 

And then the Doctor triggered the sonic again and Jimmy grabbed the guitar strap and flung the guitar away from him, as if it had attacked him. The instrument crackled with electricity on the stage floor while the microphone picked up each F-bomb Jimmy dropped.

“That’s for Rose,” the Doctor called out, his voice carrying clearly in the room. “ _ And _ for Lucille!” 

He caught a quick glimpse of Jimmy’s infuriated red face squinting in his direction, blinded by the stage light. 

Laughing, the Doctor and Rose ran for the nearest door. They weren’t chased but they ran anyway, guffawing, to the TARDIS.

***

Rose leaned against the door, panting. “Gotta admit, that was satisfyin’.” 

“Exhilaratin’, even. But, I think you promised me an encore.”

Emboldened by the memories of all the singing, all the smoldering looks sent her way… all the promises of a private concert once they arrived home...she stepped into his personal space. “I think I mentioned my voice was for you alone now… and you mentioned something about shenanigans.”

“I did. The pub was the first part.”

“Does the second part include dancin’? And if so, what kind?”

Her heart sped up when he murmured, “Whatever kind you want, yeah.” 

She slid her arms around his neck, and he gripped her hips firmly, pulling her against him. Suddenly, music began to play, drowning out the TARDIS’ hum. The Doctor chuckled, glancing up at the coral. “Looks like the Old Girl is cheering us on.” In response, the TARDIS lowered the lights.

Rose gave him a flirtatious smile, then began to sing. As if their time ship wanted to bring everything full circle, the song was the same one she’d been singing when he’d surprised her in the galley.

“My songbird,” he murmured, stopping her singing with a kiss. This time, Rose didn’t mind the interruption. 


End file.
